Cybersecurity Overview

Cybersecurity Overview

Cyberspace in Our Daily Lives

Our daily life, economic vitality, and national security depend on a stable, safe, and resilient cyberspace. We rely on this vast array of networks to communicate and travel, power our homes, run our economy, and provide government services.

Yet cyber intrusions and attacks have increased dramatically over the last decade, exposing sensitive personal and business information, disrupting critical operations, and imposing high costs on the economy.

Securing the Cyber Ecosystem

DHS plays a key role in securing the federal government's civilian cyber networks and helping to secure the broader cyber ecosystem through:

partnerships with owners and operators of critical infrastructure such as financial systems, chemical plants, and water and electric utilities

the release of actionable cyber alerts

investigations and arrests of cyber criminals, and

education about how the public can stay safe online.

Combating cyber threats is a shared responsibility. The public, private, and non-profit sectors, and every level of government – including DHS – all have an important role to play.

Responding Quickly to Cyber Vulnerabilities

By maintaining a team of skilled cybersecurity professionals and partnering with the private sector, DHS has been able to effectively respond to cyber incidents; provide technical assistance to owners and operators of critical infrastructure and disseminate timely and actionable notifications regarding current and potential security threats and vulnerabilities. By leveraging the resources of the ICE Cyber Crimes Center, DHS has been integrally involved in Internet investigations concerning identity and document fraud, financial fraud, and smuggling.

DHS also operates programs that help educate and recruit future generations of cybersecurity workers and arm citizens with the information they need to protect themselves online.